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What happened to Clarence Dally during early work with X-rays?
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radiation
The harmful effects of radiation from nuclear bombing.
Clarence Dally was an assistant to Thomas Alva Edison who worked on the development of a fluorescent X-ray lamp in 1896. During this early period of radiation research, the dangers of ionizing radiation were not yet understood. Dally was severely affected by the rays, experiencing hair loss and an inflamed, ulcerated scalp.1
By 1904, his condition had progressed to severe ulcers on both his hands and arms. These ulcers subsequently became cancerous, leading to his early death. Dally’s tragic experience, along with similar injuries suffered by many other early investigators and physicians, eventually fostered a greater awareness of radiation hazards and contributed to the development of radiobiology.1